![\"bookworm-adventures-lex\"](\"http:\/\/danielprimed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/04\/bookworm-adventures-lex.jpg\" "\\"bookworm-adventures-lex\\"")
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Having already fried enough grey matter with the seductive strangle of Zuma<\/em>‘s colour crunching excellence<\/a>, I figured that I’d take a more traditional route of gaming education and try out another one of Pop Cap’s success stories: Bookworm Adventures<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n Bookworm<\/em><\/a> was originally an Up-Words-eqsue<\/a> word formation game, later the characteristic worm (Lex) made the leap into his own fully realized word ’em up RPG with Bookworm Adventures<\/em>. The premise is relatively simple, but difficult to muster into words as many simple game mechanics tend to be. The core mechanic is set around a 4×4 grid filled with 16 random letters. You use these letters to form words which power Lex to attack an opposing enemy. Several battles, concluding with a boss battle make up a chapter, and overall Lex has several books to worm his way through. Within this framework, RPG elements are sprinkled throughout such as status effects (poison, burn, freeze), a 6 item inventory (3 items, 3 pre-selected equipment) and powered up attacks through special letter blocks. It’s a very polished package, with a lot of thought invested into it, rounded off by utterly charming characterization. It’s one of those games ideal for playing with a parent or child.<\/p>\n